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While facing an enormous budget deficit, the Arizona legislature passed Tuesday what's being described as "the toughest state law against illegal immigration in the nation," a bill that has as its goal to "make life difficult" for illegal immigrants in the state. The side effects of the bill are expected to make life difficult for legal residents, some immigrants, some not.

The bill [PDF] requires law enforcement personnel to make "a reasonable attempt" to determine the immigration status of anyone with whom they make "lawful contact" and who they also, for whatever reason, think might be in the United States illegally. Lawful contact, in this case, seems to include both witnessed and suspected misdemeanors. So, yes, you can be pulled over for a suspected traffic violation -- like driving without a license -- and then immediately be asked to produce your proof of resident status. If you can't do it, you can face jail and up to $2,500 in fines, and if arrested, you'll be reported to the U.S. Immigration bureau immediately.

It also makes it illegal to solicit workers for day labor jobs, in a very strange way: it's now illegal in Arizona to stop your car on the street with the intent of hiring someone, and it's illegal to get into a car with the intent of doing work for someone.

The bill isn't law yet; it still has to go back to the Arizona Senate for an expected approval of some House changes, and then Governor Jan Brewer has to sign it. Brewer, a Republican, hasn't said she'll sign it, but she seems to be signaling that way: her spokesman said she has "a strong and consistent track record of supporting responsible immigration-enforcement measures." The recent killing of an Arizona cattle rancher near the border has sparked growing, intense pressure from anti-immigration groups within the state for something drastic to be done. (Just ask John McCain).

This hardly seems to qualify as responsible. As the ACLU of Arizona points out, the law could easily lead to profiling and could possibly subject U.S. citizens and legal immigrants to jail time or fines despite being here legally, if they aren't immediately able to provide proof of residency. Arizona has about 50,000 illegal immigrants; it has nearly 2 million citizens who claimed Hispanic or Latino origin in 2008. Many of those citizens may now face increased hostility from Arizona law enforcement officials; they have already faced increased discrimination, following earlier laws that made employers wary of hiring even legal immigrants.

Arizona is facing the worst state budget gap in the nation, representing nearly a quarter of its general fund; current plans call for drastic cuts to education, state prison services, court funding, and hospital services. The state is also relying on a 1 percent increase in sales tax to first pass voters and then to raise $1 billion toward closing the gap.

So at a time when consumer spending is the only thing that can save Arizona, they've passed a law that not only isn't constitutional, and will require enormous legal spending to defend, but that will also make sure a large chunk of its population is suddenly going to think twice before driving to dinner, taking in a movie, or getting an after-work drink, lest they be harassed by police officers on immigration patrols. Nice work, AZ legislature. This seems like an enormous, aggressive lose-lose.

Can't wait to see what John McCain thinks of it.